The Bishop
Nolan Harmon was born in Meridian, Mississippi on July 14, 1892. He was the
son, grandson, and great grandson of Methodist Ministers. Harmon attended Milsaps College in Mississippi and was a member of the
first class of the Candler School of Theology in 1914. He then received his
Master of arts at Princeton University in 1920. Harmon received honorary
degrees from Milsaps college, Hamline University,
Western Maryland, Mt. Union and Wofford Colleges. He
also received an honorary doctor of divinity from Emory University in 1958.

In 1940 Harmon was elected book editor of the re-united Methodist
Churches, editing documents of the Abdington Press,
and the journal Religion in Life. He was also general editor of the
twelve volume Interpreters Bible. In his retirement, he edited the Encyclopedia
of World Methodism. Bishop Harmon was elected to the Episcopacy in
1956.From 1956 to 1964, Harmon was bishop of churches in many of the states in
the Southeast. Between 1960 and 1964, Harmon was a member of Methodist
committees that revised Methodist Hymn books. He retired from the ministry in
1964.

Bishop Harmon wrote many books including Ministerial
Ethics and Etiquette, Ninety Years and Counting his autobiography, and The
Famous Case of Myra Clark Gaines. Bishop Harmon made civil rights history
in April of 1963 when he along with eight other ministers released a statement
calling on African-Americans to stop taking part in demonstrations initiated by
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The statement called the Atlanta born King's actions
"unwise and untimely" and stated that only "slow, slow,
slow" change should bring about equal rights. It was this statement that
inflamed Dr. King and caused him to write the famous "Letter From the
Birmingham Jail". Bishop Harmon in his 1983 biography referred to the
letter as a "propaganda move".

After his retirement, Bishop Harmon
joined the Emory University faculty as a visiting professor and continued there
into his 96th year. He died in June 1993.

Scope and Content Note

The first
series of this collection is composed of biographical material concerning
Bishop Harmon.

The second series, and by far the largest series, is composed of Literary Works
by Bishop Harmon. This series is comprised of three sub-series: Sermons: this
material is maintained in its original order and can be accessed by using the
"Index to Sermons" prepared by the Bishop himself. The sermons cover
the years 1933 through 1968; Addresses: which is divided into dated and undated
addresses; articles : which is likewise divided into dated and undated
materials; a small file which Bishop Harmon had entitled lectures; some book reveiws; four poems by the bishop; and a collection of
manuscripts.

Series Three is composed of material
dealing with the Methodist Church and contains reports, material on race
relations from the early 1960's, and committee files.

Series Four contains teaching
material used by Bishop Harmon and is comprised almost entirely of copies of
exams for the various courses he taught at Candler School of Theology.

Series Five contains correspondence
relating to professional issues and controversies which concerned Harmon.
Especially interesting is the material related to Harmon’s disapproval of
Martin Luther King’s use of civil disobedience and rejection of the Board of
Social Concern’s position’s support of King.

Series Six contains assorted “scrapbook”
material originally arranged by Harmon. This material contains clippings,
photographic prints, and pamphlets.

Series Seven contains ephemera including
General conference medals and commemorative coins, a Communion set for
Methodist Chaplains from around 1918, and assorted commemorative gavels.

Box 27, which is split across several
series, was added to the collection in early 2009 and contains correspondence,
sermons, public addresses, articles, opinion pieces, Methodist conference
reports, and miscellaneous writings from the period 1957-1963. The
correspondence and other writings cover an interesting period in Harmon’s life,
during which he expressed opinions about the Civil Rights movement and social
change. Box 27 also includes a booklet of poetry by Juliet Howe Harmon, as well
as a card of miniature portraits of Southern Methodist bishops from the
immediate post-Civil War period, sent to Bishop Harmon in 1948.